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It’s a buyers
Vicki Thomas & Associates celebrates 25th anniversary market
icki Thomas founded her specialist gift design
Gill Davies heads to the NEC
V
consultancy on academic and design foundations along
with a spring in her step
with a real belief in the true meaning of gifts. Using her
research and practical design skills, acquired during her
time at the London School of Economics and the Royal
his month, Spring Fair will set
College of Art, Vicki has built a business that has been successful and
remained true to her initial philosophy.
This year, as the consultancy celebrates 25 years in the industry,
Vicki Thomas Associates offers a team of fifty specialist designers,
covering nearly every aspect of design plus a creative approach
T
a psychological benchmark for
trading over the coming year.
Although not the first show in
the exhibition calendar, it is the
to product development, using properties and new design. The
largest grouping of compatible product lines
developmental hub is focused on product that is be given or presented
that cover all sectors of our markets. Last year’s
and all aspects are covered. Concept, storyboard, product and final
show was a shocker superficially, although
packaging are the norm for this company. the successful companies gained from focused
Vicki Thomas represents and advises several archives and collections.
buying and the absence of trade show tourists.
One recently signed property; Mabel Lucie Attwell was launched at The
How many bods there are who wander round for
Licensing Show last year. This traditional line, now being matched to
very little reason is something we’ll never know
suitable product ranges will introduce Mabel Lucie Attwell’s distinctive
but they are a distraction from the real purpose
images to a new generation.
of the fair.
The consultancy always aims to build on past experience and offer
The design industry has been faced with
clients what they currently need. The team is always looking forward
using the latest trends in interiors and fashion to create new product and
falling purchasing numbers and price-cutting for
design that appeal to manufacturers supplying major retail buyers.
some years and now in the midst of recession
Seasonal licensing is a strong part of the portfolio as well as
there will be some who will be wondering
Everyday designs. Carol Tratt, Rachel B Stevens. Julie Lavender, Jessie
whether it’s time for a career change.
Eckel and many others offer a large selection of these images for the
For those design resources exhibiting, it will
consultancy. have meant some tough decisions about budgets
Vicki Thomas and Associates are showing at Spring Fair H2 C02
and what they can afford to do over the coming
www.vickythomasassociates.com
year. That’s even before they look at their
portfolios and design offer. Second guessing this
Designer Profi le
year’s buying pattern will be a nightmare.
Publishing and gift companies supplying the
Pauline Alice Designs
High Street and independent markets are now
faced with two very different animals that are
auline Spittle has always enjoyed an ability to draw.
becoming increasingly hard to bridge. On one
P
After Art School she studied Printed Textiles at Central St.
side the High Street is losing sales and tightening
Martins Art College in London. Her work has latterly been
up on buying, SOR and credit terms. On the
seen on greeting cards, giftwrap, calendars, ceramics and in
other, a successful core of independents is not
magazines. happy with sharing product with large High
Her style is illustrative with a fine feminine bias. Not a cute style, but
Street chains or any slack customer service.
one that appeals to animal lovers with a contemporary lifestyle. She works
The strong independents can now see that
in a range of mediums; crayon, pen and ink, collage, watercolour and digital
they can manage their stock levels as they want,
design.
get tough with terms, cancel orders if necessary
Pauline’s inspiration has come from her own family experiences with
and object strongly if accounts are opened for the
pets. Daniel her pet terrier was captured in endless family photographs. His
same lines with local competitors. I hear that a
cheeky, sometimes haughty character influenced the themes depicted on
lot and it is a sign of the times. Companies who
many of the cards and provided a ‘story’ to accompany the illustrations.
As well as Daniel, Harry (the cat) was a similarly superior character and
service the local market think that it will shift
her sketches personify them both in a way all pet owners will recognise.
stock and not matter. It does matter and they will
Nowadays her themes range from the Surrey countryside, where she’s based, to interior/fashion trends
lose those local stores as customers and gain a
and family memories.
bad reputation. It’s a buyer’s market and there
www.paulinealicedesigns.com are always new publishers looking for business.
18
www.greetingstoday.co.uk
Continued on page 20
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